US Visa Questions for CMP
 

I am a permanent resident in Canada and I have not yet applied for citizenship. I am trying to get a visa to go with my team to St. Louis and I have a few questions.

I am applying through the us visa website: https://ais.usvisa-info.com/en-ca/niv/. I don't know which category the visa would be in. There are a few, but none seem to match up. I have a letter from the school explaining why I am going to the US. Is that sufficient? I am also wondering how long the process would take. I am applying at the US Visa Consolate in Toronto. Any other tips would be great.

If anyone who has gone through this before could please help, I would really appreciate it.

Re: US Visa Questions for CMP
 

The US Department of State has a great wizard that will tell you what kind of visa you require. I would think that a simple tourism or business visa would do, depending on your role (student or mentor). But I am most certainly not a lawyer or expert on US immigration requirements. Note that you might not even require a visa if the country that issued your passport participates in the Visa Waiver Program (but you would need ESTA authorization)

Re: US Visa Questions for CMP
 

Do you qualify for a Visa Waiver? I'm from the UK so I do, it's a very simple application process, which I do whenever I need to travel to the USA (I'm a Canadian permanent resident too). It also lasts for a year, so you don't need to reapply if you end up traveling a second time within a year.

Re: US Visa Questions for CMP
 

Thank you so much for your help!

I applied for a B-1/B-2 Visa using the wizard you gave me! I will be interviewed in a few days!

I am from a country not in the US Visa waivers program, so I have to go through the long way round.

Re: US Visa Questions for CMP
 

Seems like the B-2 is the one for you.
Champs is not really a Scientific/Educational Conference (B-1).

Re: US Visa Questions for CMP
 

Eh. Potato potahto. I've claimed it as one for work before. And I know a fair number of teachers who have claimed it as prof dev. It's at least as useful as most conferences I've attended and it has a cool robot competition going on.

Re: US Visa Questions for CMP
 

Karthik's annual talk at Championship is the most educational seminar you will ever attend.